What's with all of the accidental journalism coming out of the New York Times these days? First, they revealed the Alaska election-rigging scheme just before the election, and now they're pointing out discrepancies in James Talarico's origin story?
They must feel it's too late in the cycle for any of these stories to make a dent in voters' plans.
The Times reported Wednesday that Talarico, the Texas Democrat Senate candidate, has engaged in a bit of bloviating about his signature origin story. Then they proved it had been contradicted by official records.
For years, Talarico has claimed that as a first-year teacher, he once had 45 students in a single classroom, forcing children to sit on the air-conditioning unit because there were not enough desks — an experience he has repeatedly cited as the reason he entered politics.
“At one point, I had 45 students in one classroom,” he said during a CNN town hall. “There weren’t enough desks for all those kids, so I had students sitting on the air-conditioning unit in the wealthiest country in human history — in the 21st century, children sitting on the air-conditioning unit.”
It appears to have been little more than fiction.
Documents from the Texas Education Agency reviewed by the Times show that the most students ever assigned to one of Talarico’s class periods was 30, with most of his classes ranging from 22 to 27 students.
James Talarico frequently claims he had 45 students in his class as a first-year teacher. But Texas Education Agency data show that his biggest class was 30 students. Looks like he inflated the number by 50%. https://t.co/De5Gs8wyDl
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) October 28, 2026
On average, Talarico was looking at about 24 students per class over a two-year period. Why practically double that? And then add the colorful imagery of children being forced to sit on air conditioners?
Former students and colleagues interviewed by the paper recalled full classrooms but not the extreme overcrowding Talarico has described.
"In the interviews with Mr. Talarico’s former students and colleagues, they recalled classrooms where every desk was occupied, but not crowding to the point where students were sitting on air-conditioners," the Times wrote.
James Talarico claims he "had 45 kids in one classroom" on his campaign website. But Texas Education Agency data show his biggest class was 30 students. https://t.co/JmY61PQQuO
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) October 28, 2026
Talarico’s spokesman did not dispute the class-size records but said the candidate had worked with administrators to redistribute students after 45 were initially placed in his room.
Way to clarify things after getting caught by a friendly newspaper.
The discrepancy marks the latest instance in which a core element of Talarico’s campaign narrative has failed to hold up under scrutiny.
At a CNN town hall this month, Talarico said he has never supported abolishing ICE — “No, and I never have."
Yet in a January primary debate, he declared, “It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety.”
In a September Fox News interview, Talarico said he now opposes transgender athletes in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness. He also walked back his old claim that there are six genders, admitting he “missed the mark” and that there are only two sexes.
He had previously voted against Texas bills that restricted transgender athletes and called the whole issue a manufactured problem.
Additionally, the Texas Tribune looked into a story Talarico often tells about a troubled student named Justin. School officials remembered the kid, but they could not confirm the specific details he describes on the campaign trail.
Beyond that, Talarico's campaign will insist he's not your basic, run-of-the-mill snake oil salesman. The lies, though, are piling up. If the New York Times can see it, so can the voters.